Notification methods

Pointsharp ID uses notifications for several purposes such as:

  • sending OTPs,

  • sending software tokens to users,

  • sending notifications to the user about certain events,

  • sending notifications to the administrator about certain events, and

  • send warnings, among other things.

Pointsharp recommends using SMS or email notification. It is possible to send SMS using Pointsharp’s own SMS service, or any preferred service that uses HTTP/HTTPS API.

Mail Address is used for all the notification methods of type SMTP, and Phone Number for all other notification methods.

At least one notification method needs to be configured to be able to send out OTPs.

Recommended is SMS as primary and SMTP as secondary notification method.

A default set of templates are available.

The following notifications are supported

  • Pointsharp POC: Use this when wanting to quickly add a temporary SMS notification. Pointsharp POC is an SMS Notification with a limit of 25 SMS, regulated by Pointsharp’s Cloud Notification Service. Used for demo purpose and quick start up.

  • Pointsharp Push: Send push messages via Pointsharp Login App for Android/iOS devices. See Login App.

  • General HTTP: This is a general HTTP notification where a URL and its data can be configured. Kannel, MOSMS, Telia and Clickatell all use this general method.

  • Kannel: Use this when a Kannel server to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • MOSMS: Use this when MOSMS is to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • TeliaSonera (Telia API): Use this when TeliaSonera (Telia API) is to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • Clickatell: Use this when Clickatell is to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • Telenor: Use this when Telenor is to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • SMTP: Use this when the SMTP protocol is to be used together with Pointsharp ID for distribution purposes.

  • SmartNotify: Use this when wanting to notify a user with one or multiple destinations depending on any user attribute.

Add a notification method

  1. Start Pointsharp ID Admin GUI as an administrator.

  2. Go to the Notification tab.

  3. Click Add.

  4. Choose template. (General HTTP for SMS over HTTP, if nothing matches existing templates).

    Services/vendors might differ in configuration, and it is important to check with your specific vendor how to configure the notification service.

  5. Fill out the information needed in the template.

    Press the Help button for detailed information on each field and function.

  6. Click OK to finish the configuration.

  7. Click Apply in the bottom-right corner to apply the configuration/changes.

  8. Go to the General tab.

  9. Restart. The configuration needs to be applied and Pointsharp ID has to be restarted before the changes will take effect. A Restart can be done from anywhere in the GUI by pressing CTRL-R.

Test your new notification method by marking it and clicking the Test button. Here you can manually enter user details. The test needs to be pre-processed before clicking Send.

OTP Attribute preprocessing

OTP Attribute Preprocessing is to be used when the stored mobile phone numbers (or email addresses) contain invalid characters in the user storage. The invalid value of the user attribute, will be converted to the format expected by the SMS provider in the HTTP-request.

Example 1. Attribute preprocessing

Add a third position in Prefix In and Prefix Out to replace +358 with 00358.

Prefix In: +460/+10/+358 and Prefix Out: +46/+1/00358.

This would process the number +358.21.212.212 to 0035821212212 before sending the SMS.

Parameter Description

Remove

List of characters that are going to be removed from the mobile phone number (or the email address). Default value is -.(). .

Prefix In

Combined with the Prefix Out, the Prefix In is a "/"-separated list of prefixes to be replaced by the corresponding character position in the Prefix Out. The default value is: +460/+10.

Prefix Out

Combined with the Prefix In, the Prefix Out is a "/"-separated list of prefixes to be replaced by the corresponding character position in the Prefix Out. The default value is: +46/+1.

Append Suffix

Set this to a suffix to be added to the mobile number or email address. Empty as default (not in use).

URL Encoding

URL Encoding is used when certain values in the configuration, or the message to be sent, is containing international characters or whitespace. Note that when for example sending XML data, certain fields may not be URL encoded.

Parameter Description

Encoding

Set which encoding to use. The default encoding standard is set to: utf-8.

URL Encoding checkboxes

Check the URL Encoding checkboxes if the {to} user address, phone number, {password} password, the {otp} or the message sent with this notification should be URL encoded.

SMTP notification

The SMTP notification is used to distribute OTPs and OATH Tokens by email, using the SMTP protocol.

Configure an SMTP notification:

Parameter Description

Name

Name of the notification. The name is used when configuring for example SMS authentication using this SMTP notification.

URI

URI of the SMTP server (it has to be in smtp://server:port).

Set the URI to the server on the syntax "smtp://smtpserver:25" or "smtps://smtpserver:587" for SSL.

For example: "smtps://smtp.gmail.com:587" to use SMTP over SSL towards the Google SMTP server (note that a Google account and password is required for sending).

Account name

Set the account name to use if authentication is required to send email. If the domain name needs to be specified, use the domain\username syntax. If not set, the email is sent anonymously.

Account password

Set the account password to use if authentication is required to send email. If not set, the email is tried to be sent anonymously.

From address

Edit the From Address parameter for the outgoing email message.

For example, "john.adams@company.com".

From display name

Edit the display name for the outgoing email message.

For example, "Mr John Adams".

Subject

Edit the subject text to be used for the outgoing email message.

For example, "Here is your Pointsharp ID Code…​".

HTML Template

Provide own HTML template for SMTP mails. Pointsharp ID will search for {message} in the template and replace it with the message. If the HTML Template field is empty, Message is sent as plain text. HTML will not be used.

In addition to the above configuration it is also possible to manually configure certain functionality by adding the following XML-snippets to the configuration file, PSID3.xml.

For example:

<InputPrefixes>+460/+10</InputPrefixes>
<OutputPrefixes>+46/+1</OutputPrefixes>
<AppendSuffix>@company.com</AppendSuffix>

Input and output prefixing and append a suffix.

Remember to restart Pointsharp ID and the Pointsharp Admin to see the changes take effect.

HTTP notification

The HTTP-based notifications are used to send text message (SMS) notifications to users. HTTP notification is used when using Kannel, MOSMS, Telia and Clickatell.

Configure an HTTP notification:

Parameter Description

Name

Name of the notification. This will be used in for example SMS authentication.

HTTP Method

HTTP method used towards the SMS provider interface. GET or POST.

URL

The full URL, port and path to the SMS provider interface.

Data

Parameters to send to the SMS provider’s interface. For required parameters, consult the SMS provider documentation.

Variables

{to}

Will be replaced with the user’s mobile number, address, or other attribute value on the user that is configured as the Notification Attribute in the Directory.

{password}

Password variable.

{otp}

Message including OTP to be sent to the user.

Password

Value for {password} in the data field. That is, the {password} part will be replaced with this value.

Basic Authentication

Check this to enable Basic Authentication instead of the default {password} function.

Request

A display of the full HTTP request.

Response

Set the response pattern to look for when parsing the HTTP response. It is possible to build the response with a {to} parameter, if the response contains the recipient address. The wildcard * is allowed when any response is an OK response.

Negotiation Pattern

Check this if the response pattern must not be found in the received HTTP response.

SMS EU notification

A Pointsharp SMS Notification is an HTTP Notification sending SMS in EU via a third party service; SMS Teknik. This still requires the OTP Attribute Preprocessing settings for the values parsed into the request. To get access to this service please request an account from Pointsharp AB.

Parameter Description

Name

Set a name for the notification. This will be used in for example SMS authentication.

Use Flash SMS

Enable to send notifications as flash SMS when supported by device.

Sender Title

The title displayed in the client as the sender of the SMS.

Username

The username of the account to send with.

Password

The password of the account to send with.

SMS US notification

Pointsharp SMS Notification is used when sending messages in the USA using a Pointsharp SMS account. This still requires the OTP Attribute Preprocessing settings for the values parsed into the request. To get access to this service, please request an account from Pointsharp AB.

Parameter Description

Name

Name of the notification. Set a name for the notification. This will be used in for example SMS authentication.

Region

The region to send SMS within.

Account SID

Account Sender Identifier (SID) of your Pointsharp SMS US account.

Auth Token

Secret retrieved from your Pointsharp SMS US account data.

From Number

The identifier of the number to send with.

SmartNotify notification

SmartNotify is used when wanting to notify a user with one or multiple destinations depending on any user attribute.

Parameter Description

Name

Set a name for the notification. This will be used to identify this notification in other settings.

#

Order of execution.

Rule

The rule that need to match with a user attribute in order for the notification method to be executed.

For example, "mail = *@company.org" means "if the value of the user attribute mail ends with @company.org then use this method".

Other usage: "memberOf = *SE*", "mobile = +46*" etc.

Notification Method

The notification method (Pointsharp POC or Pointsharp Push) to be executed if the rule is matching with the user attribute. The notification attribute in brackets.

User Attribute

The user attribute to evaluate.

Push Notification default value: ps-login

Matching Pattern

The pattern of the value from the attribute that need to match for this policy.

Push Notification default pattern: *

Notification Attribute

The user attribute to use to retrieve the value to send the notification with. If it is empty, then the notification attribute of the SmartNotify notification will be used instead. If this attribute is empty too, then the default User Storage Attribute for this user will be used as a last option.

If the selected notification method fail (due to faulty destination value or other), then the rest of the policies will be executed anyway.